Case study:

Max started working for a large company, NextGen that specialises in development of

phone apps. Max is very excited to work for NextGen as he has many ideas about

developing commercially viable phone apps. After a few weeks of starting his manager

asked Max to analyse data for their clients and app users. Max creates a comprehensive

database of users, their personal details (such as age, gender, and preferences), internet

usage and including how they reacted to certain advertisements in free versions of phone apps. Max's manager Jack is very happy and tells him that the database is very valuable and NextGen could sell it to market research companies that target advertising and mailouts about various products and offers. Max disagrees with this plan. However, the final decision would be taken by directors who have decided to engage an ethics consultancy, ProEthics who would present their recommendations to the board within a month. Analyse this caseand work out any ethical issues that may arise. Students are encouraged to read relevant course materials (lecture, tutorial, and book chapter). Actual questions will be asked during assessment.

Question:

Work through the steps of the ethical decision-making model and evaluate what NextGen should decide and what it should do.